USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > A history of Van Buren County, Michigan a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests Volume I > Part 7
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62
And we, brave foemen, with the dog, lay side by side, Peacefully like four brothers tried, But slept not until the morning beams, Purpled the woodlands and the streams.
I learned during the night that they were boys about fourteen years old; that the white boy had been brought up among the In- dians; that the day previous the Indian boy went to stay with him all night so they might go out on a coon hunt in the evening, that the dog had treed a coon a short distance from where I was staying, so they concluded to come and stay there; and the reason why the parents did not let me or the boys know the situation was because the boys avoided waking up the old folks.
They said when they pulled the old coon dog into the room he gave a sort of whining sniff, which convinced them something was wrong in the room and that they dimly saw the bear skin moving about and feared the old old bear himself had come back and was crawling into his hide again! They further said "We be scared most to def !" I was mighty glad they did not know how I felt at that time, as I rolled the bear's hide about me.
Since then I have often wondered what the result would have been if I had had my revolver with me. It is possible I might have been tried for murdering the whole household and have to show I did it in self-defence, in order to save myself from a life sentence, or on the other hand I might have been scalped or killed.
On my return home I disposed of my revolver, and have never owned or carried one since, and am fully convinced that in a coun- try like ours one is much safer without a revolver than with one; hence my advice to boys ever since then has been "Never carry a revolver."
SAW-KAW'S LOVE STORY
From Saw-kaw's own story : "The course of true love never does run smooth" even in the natives heart; under the most favorable circumstances, its joys are marred with many doubts and fears.
39
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
Se-gitan Saw-kaw I-kwe (Listen to the child of the forest).
My grandfather, during my early girlhood, took great pride in teaching me and a boy chum of mine how to bend the bow and di- rect the arrow in its course. Almost daily this little boy and I would contest in archery for a prize to be awarded by grandfather. It was generally conceded I was the best shot. White boys of the neighborhood often joined in our sports, contesting with powder and ball for the prize at a distance of one hundred feet or less. An old white man was sure to be present on such occasions to act as umpire.
Our arrows seldom failed to win the prize. I can now see the old man limping along to see who had centered the mark and hear him say "Wall, wall,-I do declare! The little redskins have won." Or "Wall, wall, I do declare! The little redskins have lost this time." In order that we might know our arrows apart, Kaw-kee's were painted red and mine white. The old man gave each prize as it was won-a turkey, goose or pheasant was generally provided by some white man.
All these endearing sports were suddenly cut short as, at four- teen years of age, it had been decided that I should be sent to the Indian school at Lawrence, Kansas. I felt almost mortally of- fended, I feared to meet strangers in a strange land.
I continued to sob and cry until my parents feared my heart would break. Grandfather was consulted. He said "Nin Saw- kaw (my dear child) weep no more. It is best that you should go. I have visited the school many times. You will like the children there and find the teachers good and kind." In vain I plead not to be sent away. Finally I opened to him the full burden of my soul. I told him how much I loved my people and our woodland home; how ardently I loved my bow and arrows which he gave and all my sports. "Is that all ?" he asked. I replied : "Oh ! Do for- give my childish heart, and do tell me how I can leave my dear Kaw-kee and see him no more. I love him far beyond my power to tell; you have the secret of my heart. Do be good and let me stay here."
Nodding his head, he finally said "Is it possible that one so young can love so great ?" With astonishment he looked me square in the face and asked "Does he love you ?" "He has never told me so" said I. "Have you ever told Kaw-kee that you loved him ?" he asked. "I never have." "Why not ?" he asked. I made reply : "Because deep down in my heart I felt his feelings were akin to mine." Thoughtfully he bowed his head. Then looking up, the dear old man seemed filled with pity and finally said, as he kissed me, "My dear child, I well remember the days of my youth. I know full well how wicked it is to trifle with the cords of heaven-
40
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
born love. The best I can promise is that after you have spent two years at school I will send for you to come home, and we will all go into the north woods for several months and there dress and hunt as our fathers did before the white men came. "Can Kaw-kee go too ?" I asked. "Yes," he replied, "he can go too. Think of it, Saw-kaw; that will give you both a chance to hunt and test your skill in shooting game with bows and arrows!"
A soothing feeling of reconciliation came over me as the rain- bow over the departing storm. I had full faith in grandfather's promise. Cheerfully I went forth to a strange land, and there pored over the white man's books, cheered on day by day with the bright promise from the lips of one who failed not to do as he agreed.
Two long years had nearly passed. I began to wonder if it could be possible for grandfather to forget his promise. One morning my teacher handed me a letter. I looked it over; it was post-marked Hartford, Michigan. I felt sure it must be from grand- father. As soon as school was out for noon I ran to my room. Quickly I opened the letter. Saw-kaw was indeed proud that she could read it for herself. In it I heard dear grandfather say : "My dear Saw-kaw :- Find enclosed twenty dollars to bring you home. I have found good hunting grounds and, as I promised, on your return we will go there, hunt and fish, dress and live as our fathers did before the white man came." Again and again I read the letter, but, alas! Kaw-kee, no Kaw-kee, was there.
Saw-kaw slept not that night. The night following I dreamed of going home. All seemed overjoyed to meet me, but no one lisped the name of Kaw-kee. I felt him in my heart. Just then I heard him say "Bo-sho nic-con Saw-kaw." I answered back "Bo-sho nic-con Kaw-kee," and tried to grasp his hand, when lo! his form was changed into an angry wolf. Upright he stood, so close that I could smell his sickening breath. I awoke while yet his growls and snarls rang in my ears. So real it seemed, I could not believe it all a dream.
Three days later I reached our wigwam. None of our people at first knew me, but when I greeted them "Bo-sho nic-con ?" (how do you do, my friends?) " an old time pow-wow ensued, all trying to embrace and greet me first in broken English.
During the evening, old Wapsee, a noted bear hunter who had the reputation of driving bears to his wigwam to kill them, called to see me. This old man thought he could speak better English than the young Indians who had been to the white man's school. Grasping my hand he said: "Saw-kaw, me am eber so glad to see you. Me tink you tink meby, you can speak all de white man's words. Me no like um white talk much ; dem say ebry ting wrong.
41
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
Ingun call ebry ting right. You know um all him talk about. De young Inguns come from school and can't tell nofin. If dem be sick or well and try to tell um, de old folks can't guess um what dey mean." Owing to his deafness he could not understand a word I said: When leaving he said, "You know um Kaw-kee. Him talk much bout you him do; me tink him lub you bery much." However embarassing his parting words, I drank them in; for I was starving ! starving in my soul ! .
Grandfather came at last. We kissed each other with joy and gladness. Frankly he assured me I had greatly improved both in appearance and conversation. With a tremulous voice he said "Saw-kaw, how I have missed you!" Then he added "I still hold the promise made you sacred. All things are now ready. To- morrow we start for the hunting grounds. I am anxious to have you try your skill among the deer with the bow and arrows which I gave. I said: "Say grandfather, what has become of Kaw-kee?" He simply made reply: "After you left he went away to live with the Ottawas over two hundred miles north of here."
Early the next morning our family with their ponies well loaded took their line of march along an ancient trail through dense forests of hemlock and pine, where the day, through lofty archways of overhanging boughs, could scarcely find its way. Now and then our arrows brought down me-me-og and as-sana-go (pigeons and squirrels) from the trees, and frequently the dogs brought to us maw-boos (the rabbit). At nightfall we reached Mat-a-won, a point where two streams meet, pouring their waters into one and forming the Great Se-be. As we surveyed the ro- mantic scene before us and listened to the voice of a mighty cata- ract just below. my grandfather said with great feeling in his soul "It was on the shores of this stream I first met my dear Lonida, the wife of my youth that long since passed to the happy hunting grounds beyond." I said not a word but thought in my heart "I wish I knew if Kaw-kee has gone there too." Here we unloaded our ponies and prepared lodgings for the night. Fire was built and soup made out of the game we had secured on our way, mixed with man-do-win (dried corn) and salt, which we ate with a relish that can only be enjoyed after a long march through evergreen forests.
At break of day our little camp was all astir. Grandfather superintended laying out the grounds and building the wigwam, which was made of bark and poles with a smoke hole at the top, according to our ancient custom. No prince or king could have felt prouder of his castle than we did of our wigwam. The day following grandfather called the family together telling them
42
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
that before commencing a general hunt, according to ancient cus- tom, we must enjoy a regular corn dance which he said eight could do in fine style. "Further," he said, "I have a little sur- prise for you." Judge if you can of our surprise as he opened a large mo-cot (birch bark box) and handed each of us a clean new Indian buckskin suit of clothes that fitted each perfectly.
When all were dressed, grandfather started off with a swaying motion to lead the dance. I. laughed saying, "Hold on grand- father, you said it required eight to give the corn dance. There are but seven of us." "Well," said he, "Saw-kaw, as you have no partner, go stand in the door of the wigwam and enjoy see- ing the rest of us dance."
I did as he requested and ran into the wigwam. As I entered, to my great surprise, before me stood a tall Indian dressed like a chief in a new buckskin suit, with fur cap trimmed with eagle feathers. Trembling, I gazed at him in fear and astonishment; still as a statue and as dumb. Finally he broke the silence and in soothing tones said, "Saw-kaw, don't you know me?" I finally replied, "Oh! Kaw-kee, is that you?" and rushed weeping into his arms.
After recovering from my great excitement, he explained to me how grandfather originated the whole scheme, so as to give me a joyful surprise, and that the whole family were on the joke except- ing myself; and I was "innocence abroad." As we walked out to join the dance, the little party gave cheer on cheer until the echoes made the welkin ring. Within my heart I felt "One hour like this is worth more than I have learned in two years at school."
The following day grandfather arranged the distribution of his forces. At that time of the year a still hunt was necessary and only father was allowed to use the white man's gun. The rest of us-that is, Kaw-kee, grandfather and I,-our hows and arrows. Mother, two sisters and my little brother, not loving the chase, were to fish and keep things about the wigwam in order. Grandfather took his point farthest down the stream, while Kaw-kee and I watched the trail above him, a few rods apart. All reported seeing deer the first day, but no shots were made. A week passed; many dear had been seen, but none killed and I was deeply dis- appointed and called to mind grandfather's saying of years be- fore-that since the advent of the white man, "all game is wild and keeps beyond the arrow's reach, and the fish hide themselves in deep water."
That night grandfather gave orders: That all must be on their runways at peep of day the next morning. He then told the fol- lowing story which he said was of white man's origin: "A re- nowned statesman passed over a bridge at sunrise. On it sat a man
43
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
fishing. At sunset he recrossed the same bridge, finding the man still fishing. He said he had fished there all day. 'Well,' in- quired the statesman 'have you caught any fish ?' 'Oh no,' he replied, 'but I have had one glorious nibble.' Now that man had the pluck. Go and do likewise."
Morning dawn found us all at our stations. Just as the sun had tinged with red the highland trees, I was startled by the report of a rifle, which, in the morning stillness, was repeated back from shore to shore until it died away the merest whisper. My heart fluttered like a caged bird struggling to get free. I well knew it was my father's gun, and if he had missed a deer it might pass me any moment. Listening and peering through the underbrush that fringed the stream, I faintly heard a crackling sound. On towards me came a monstrous buck with antlers broad and white as snow. He stopped so close, that I could see him wink and hear him breathe. Summing up all the powers within me, in two heart beats of time I sent two successive arrows deep into his right side. He made one monstrous leap, falling in mid stream. "Kaw-kee! Father, Father!" I cried. "Come quick !" Soon both came on the run, with grandfather in the rear, fearing some great disaster had befallen me. But when I pointed out the monarch of the woods struggling in the water, their fears were turned to joy. Kaw-kee jumped headlong into the stream and hauled the noble deer upon the shore.
It was found that a ball had pierced one ear. "My rifle ball did that," my father said. From his neck an arrow dangled. "I shot that arrow," Kaw-kee explained. See it is painted red." Transfixed in his right side were two arrows painted white. "Now who killed the deer?" grandfather asked. "Saw-kaw killed the deer!" Kaw-kee and father both exclaimed. "Her white ar- rows cannot lie." It is unnecessary for me to say that the great- est ambition of my life was now a reality.
We remained in camp several weeks longer and each killed sev- eral deer. Besides Kaw-kee killed a wolf, and grandfather (bless the dear old man!) killed a bear and caught two cubs.
During our stay a French trader came down the stream and landed at our shore. He appeared pleased to meet grandfather, addressing him as "chief." "Who is that?" I asked. Father made reply "Ish-cot-a-wa-bo (whiskey)." His real name is Lapaz. He smiled on me in such a bold manner that I avoided having any conversation with him. He remained with us sev- eral days. One morning he started to go with me to my runway. I slighted him, and Kaw-kee went with me. He was mad and called Kaw-kee "the smallest end of the red trash." The next day he grew much more bolder in his attention to me, which I
1
44
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
avoided at every point. Stung by "a-mo (the wasp of jealousy ) " he opened his heart to father, telling him how much he admired my skill, how dearly he loved me; then boldly asked, "Can I marry Saw-kaw?" Father said, "Saw-kaw is under her grand- father's control. Lay your case before him."
Now grandfather well knew Lapaz. The year before he told some of his people that the needle maker was dead and thereby induced them to pay him one dollar per needle. On his next trip among them he sold them for five cents each. An old squaw told Lapaz, "Me gib you when here before one dollar for one needle 'cause you say 'needle maker am dead.' " "He did die," said the trader, "but another man learned how to make them." From this and other tricks grandfather hated him as "Satan hates holy water." So he concluded to get rid of the nuisance forever. He told Lapaz that Saw-kaw was engaged to young Kaw-kee; that the two had been bosom companions since childhood, but that in-as-much as he had keen sympathy for an ardent lover, he found it in his heart to give him a chance to secure the darling of his heart. Encouraged by this promise, Lapaz was very happy. He told Lapaz: "Tomorrow we will arrange for a contest between Kaw-kee and you for the hand of Saw-kaw. I will suspend a live duck by one leg to a limb, by a string at the distance of one hun- dred feet and you may have the first chance with your rifle; then Kaw-kee with his bow and arrow. The one that cuts the string and lets fall the duck, shall claim the girl." "That's fair," said Lapaz "Saw-kaw is mine!" "Hold on," grandfather said, "you are too hasty. Now listen! In case the loser wishes another chance he can have it by taking a square-hold wrestle with his opponent. If he wins in the second contest, Saw-kaw shall be his wife." "All right," said Lapaz.
Morning came and the family met on the river's bank to wit- ness the contest. All understood the come-out but Lapaz. A duck hung dangling in the air from the branch of a tree. Lapaz took aim and fired. No duck fell. Kaw-kee then drew his bow and let the arrow fly. Down came the duck! Lapaz seemed con- founded, but without a word, rushed at Kaw-kee clinching him for a square-hold wrestle, big with hope to win the prize. Now came the tug-of-war. Kaw-kee stepped backward near the river bank and there on his shoulders he backward fell, followed by La- paz, muttering between his teeth "I've got you now." Quick as thought Kaw-kee planted both his feet between the hips of his rival, then with a mighty spring with both legs hurled his adversary headlong into the stream at least ten feet below. Poor Lapaz, like a drowning rat, crawled into his boat, looking as though he hated everybody and himself as he floated down the stream and disap- peared. Where he went and how he fared nobody knew and no- body cared.
45
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
A few days after this, while we were making preparations to break camp, grandfather called the family together. He spoke of the glorious time we had enjoyed, living as our fathers lived. He referred to the true love which had existed so long between Kaw-kee and myself without being interfered with. He further said, "It is a fact that among our people in their native state, they regarded true love so sacred that they never tried to plague their children about it. Hence, in after years, they were consulted by them in all such affairs." "But," said he, "with the white man it is not so. Their little children are so much laughed at about the oppo- site sex, that in after years they hide their true feelings as if it were a great sin to fall in love. I am indeed glad that none of you have tried to plague Saw-kaw and Kaw-kee, thereby living up to the customs of our fathers." He then said, pointing at Kaw- kee and myself, "I propose that now, and here, we close our out- ing with a marriage between Kaw-kee and Saw-kaw, according to native custom." After consulting each other we both stood up at the same time and there, under the evergreen archways above us, we promised grandfather, in the presence of the family, that as we had loved each other in the past, so we would in the fu- ture. He then said, "Face each other ; clasp your hands together." And we did so. As there we stood, face to face, he said : "As your hands are joined together, so may your hearts be, in true love, that faileth not. Now in the presence of Ki-tchi Man-i-to (the Great Spirit) I declare you 'In-aw-kaw ne-naw (husband and wife).'"' The family then, in subdued tones, repeated, "Maw- ge-ong, Maw-ge-ong! (Amen! Amen!)" The streams below and trees above murmured "Maw-ge-ong ! Maw-ge-ong!" Then we two were known as one, and so have lived.
ME-ME-OG, THE WILD PIGEON
In springtime when the rosy hand of morning light
Unfolds the curtain of an April night.
And golden clouds float in the liquid blue, As guardian spirits, weeping crystal dew,
The frightened woodsman, in wonder list 'ning stands!
Thinks a whirlwind is abroad in the land! Darkness increases, his eyes grow dim. And as he seeks shelter from the impending wind,
Suddenly his fears are turned to joy, for he sees
Sweeping through and high above the forest trees
Millions of pigeons, on their north-bound way, Almost shutting out the morning light of day!
In closing the aboriginal sketch of Van Buren county, I deem it appropriate to present an article written by the late Chief Poka- gon entitled "Me-me-og" (the migratory or wild pigeon of North
,
46
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
America). It was published by the Chautauqua Magazine of New York which paid nearly one hundred dollars for the contribution. It is acknowledged by our best ornithologists to be the most ex- haustive article ever published regarding those wonderful birds, which, for unknown centuries had one of their main breeding grounds in Van Buren County, generally every other year, dur- ing April and May.
Audubon, the great American ornithologist, declared their num- bers were absolutely countless both at their roosts and breeding places. In his exhaustive work on ornithology he states that in 1813, near Henderson, Kentucky, he made a careful computation of a body of birds that passed northward in spring, estimating that it contained not less than one billion one hundred and fifty millions one hundred and thirty-six thousand pigeons and, as each pigeon would consume at least half a pint of mast per day, it would require to feed such a flock eight millions seven hundred and twelve thousand bushels per day. Think of it!
Residents of this county under forty years of age will probably read the old chief's account of them with many doubts, but those past that age will verify its truth. Notwithstanding the count- less millions of these birds thirty-five years ago, there has been a standing offer for years of five hundred dollars for a single pair of them; yet no one has been able to produce them.
Many theories have been advanced regarding their total dis- appearance. One is that they undertook to cross one of the Great Lakes in a body, were overtaken by a tornado and drowned. Others claim they must have been wiped out by some contagious disease. While it seems to be well authenticated by some old sailors, that they witnessed, about the time of their disappearance, great bodies of these birds moving south across the Gulf of Mexico, in such great clouds that they shut out the light of day for several hours, and that in their opinion, unless they were drowned in the gulf, they are located somewhere in South America. From all I have been able to learn, for ages, they generally wintered in Ar- kansas, where mast was wonderfully plenty, and that in spring time they moved northward, nesting in Tennessee and Kentucky in February, in Indiana in March and Pennsylvania and Michi- gan in April and May. Their great wintering places in the south being broken up and the timber in the north that supplied them with such great quantities of mast, being cut down, so demoral- ized them that they could no longer exist in such vast bodies. Thus they scattered, and, like bees that abandon their hive, most of them could not survive an unsocial condition and finally died.
When our western plains in the spring and fall were covered with vast herds of buffalo moving north or south, migrating to
47
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
their summer or winter feeding grounds, they were followed by immense flocks of wolves and other animals that fed on the calves and the old animals that were left in their rear, but with the pigeons it was not so. No birds of prey were swift enough to fol- low them in their flights. They were only preyed upon by such birds as lived where they located. They were followed and preyed upon by cruel man, who had knowledge of their breeding places, as described by the old chief in his article.
Some years since while ploughing, close in front of me a hawk swooped down and carried off in his talons a robin. It awakened in me an intricate train of thought. I began to inquire "How can an all-wise creator excuse himself for creating one creature to live upon another?" While my feelings were wrought upon by this thought, I heard in a thicket close by a touching sound like the crying of a strangling babe. Quickly I ran to see what it was. To my surprise I found a large black snake cciled about a rabbit that was begging for its life. Quick as thought, with my knife I severed the coils of the snake and released its vietim so quickly that it escaped without a "thank you." I then sat down on a log to consider and analyze my acts. Result : I had saved the in- nocent rabbit through sympathy and had butchered the snake through revenge! I finally concluded not to meddle further with great Nature's laws, but to accept the Darwinian theory of the survival of the fittest, which, physically speaking, is true.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.